Palmchat - Dominican Republic

For the first two hundred years of Spanish rule, the natural harbor at Samana on the northeastern peninsular of the Dominican Republic was unused. This paved the way for pirates to take advantage of the narrow Samana Channel. The limestone caves and dense swamps offered defensive positions and refuge.

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Dulus dominicus - The palmchat is a common bird found throughout Hispaniola. Though closely related to waxwings, it is the only bird within the genus dulus. Palmchats are extremely sociable birds and are willing to roost together in tight formations, forage together in flocks, and contribute in building large communal nests able to house several breeding pairs, each with its own private entrance. Palmchats rely heavily on palm trees for roosting, feeding, and nest building; they prefer the royal palm, but will easily adapt to others.

Fuchsia Triphylla - Dominican Republic

There are over 100 species in the genus fuchsia. The vast majority of species are native to Central and South America. The plant, in most cases a shrub, was first taken note of by French botanist Charles Plumier during his expedition to Hispaniola in the late 17th century. There is one species in Tahiti and three species in New Zealand; one growing as a tree. The two native to Hispaniola are Fuchsia pringsheimii and Fuchsia triphylla, the latter being the plant recorded in detail by Charles Plumier.

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Cristóbal Colón landed on Hispaniola in 1492. His brother, Bartolomé, established the first permanent European settlement in the Americas at Santo Domingo in 1496. The Treaty of Ryswick, signed in 1697,  ceded Western Hispaniola to France. The Peace of Basel agreement, negotiated in 1795, allowed France to take entire control of Hispaniola. Spain reasserted its claim to the eastern section of the island in 1808, and held it until 1821, when the Dominican Republic proclaimed its independence.